The present invention relates generally to a technology of performing wireless communications under communication conditions suited to a location, and more particularly to a wireless communication device constructed to detect, based on, e.g., GPS (Global Positioning System), a country where the device is utilized and to automatically execute setting suited to this country.
What is generally conducted in enterprises and universities each having a multiplicity of computers is that the computers are connected to each other via LANs (Local Area Networks), wherein they share resources and files with each other and exchange e-mails.
Further, the computers have widely spread into homes, and a large number of persons get possessed of a plurality of computers such as a desktop type computer and a mobile that meet their purposes. Hence, there is an increased number of such opportunities that the LANs are built up even in homes.
What has hitherto been a mainstream among the conventional LANs is, however, a wired LAN using a coaxial cable, a twisted pair cable or an optical fiber cable. The wired LAN is resistible against disturbances such as noises and is easy to keep a high-quality connection. The wired LAN has, however, problems in which constructions for wiring are required, and wires are extended round. Under such circumstances, it can be considered to utilize a wireless LAN where wireless communications are performed by use of radio waves, infrared-rays, etc. Further, in organizations such as the enterprises, the universities, etc., there is seen a progress of utilizing the wireless LANs for changing a layout of architecture as the number of using terminals increases and for mobile terminals (refer to a patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.11-331176 (paragraph numbers 2 through 4) and a patent document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.2000-314771 (paragraph number 5)).
A wireless communication device in a wireless LAN station (access point), a wireless LAN adapter, etc., disclosed therein needs to change specifications for every country because of communication conditions such as the number of channels, etc. being different in each country.
In the case of the wireless LAN adapter pursuant to, e.g., IEE802.11b, it is approved in U.S.A. that 1 through 11 channels (ch) are used, while in Japan the use of 1 through 14 channels (ch) is approved.
Therefore, a manufacturer of the wireless LAN adapter created firmware, etc. at a developing stage so that the device utilized in U.S.A. can use 1 through 11 channels and so that the device utilized in Japan can use 1 through 14 channels.
It is, however, an extremely time-consuming work to develop the firmware, etc. for every country. Moreover, there occur overlapped works, resulting in a decline of efficiency.
Such being the case, it can be considered to provide an architecture that can support the communication conditions of the countries where the device is utilized in a way that creates universal firmware and changes the setting. In this case, however, there arises such a problem that, for example, a user must set in accordance with the system of the user's country in advance of utilizing the wireless communication device, with the result that the operation becomes complicated.
Further, there is a scheme that all the known time zones are incorporated into the firmware, etc. at the developing stage for selecting the time zone, and the user is prompted to select it. In this case also, the operation becomes complicated when utilizing the device.